Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning: Past Lessons and Future Opportunities

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) defines AT as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability.” IDEA requires that AT be considered for every student with disabilities when developing their individualized education plan (IEP). Additionally, IDEA highlights the need of using technology, including technology with universal design principles and AT devices, to maximize accessibility to general education curricula for students with disabilities.

According to a review of literature from 2005-2019 concerning AT, it remains difficult to describe AT application as an evidenced-based intervention due to the limited number of research studies demonstrating outcomes (Edyburn, 2020a). What is clear, however, is that AT remains an underutilized intervention for providing students with disabilities access to educational curricula. For example, Edyburn (2021a) pointed out that, while every technology platform has universal accessibility features that support reading and writing, American schools have not recognized the need to provide students with instruction in the use of these features. Students with disabilities continue to face three challenges, which include (1) barriers in learning management systems; (2) inaccessible documents, media, and webpages; and (3) barriers within teaching activities due to a lack of appropriate supportive devices and services (Edyburn, 2021b).

In an interesting parallel, reviews of research into UDL have presented similar problems in establishing a consistent research base (Edyburn, 2020b). The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 defines UDL as a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that — (A) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and (B) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient. This definition has been adopted and applied toward K-12 education in the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act — The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. However, there is still confusion around the definition of UDL, which has made it difficult to accurately measure its presence in classrooms (Edyburn, 2020b).

More than 10 years have passed since Edyburn (2010) asked the research community if they would recognize UDL if they saw it. In his 2010 article, Edyburn highlighted a lack of sufficient direct evidence to establish UDL as a scientifically validated intervention. UDL ran the risk of becoming just another educational fad: a short-lived, fashionable movement that generates intense enthusiasm but is quickly abandoned (Edyburn, 2020b). Edyburn called for greater knowledge around what it means to implement UDL, how to measure the outcomes of UDL, and who is responsible for creating UDL products. The following are key insights gleaned from the interview with Edyburn and previous research. The interview focused on four major questions around AT and UDL as well as implications for teacher education.